Pineapple Cheesecake Bars

I walk up to the front door and let myself in. There’s no need to knock because I know I’m always welcome here. We’re all welcome here. You see, the people that live here are the same as family to us.

I hear the sounds of laughter echoing inside this home. I see the smiling faces of my friends and remember all of the happy memories that this place holds for me. Being here, laughing and sharing with others, is like being right at home. I know I belong.

It’s hard to put into words what Carl and Margie, the owners of this house, mean to me. What they mean to all of us that are gathered here. We would say they’re like our parents, since chronologically they could be, but somehow that doesn’t describe them. We could call them our mentors, but that still doesn’t do justice to our relationship with them. In truth, the only two words that describe them are friends and family.

And why is it that we are all so blessed? We’re just a bunch of young kids to them, just college students and twenty-somethings. They’re just some church members. But truthfully, they are so much more than that to us. They offer each of us a place to call home while we’re so far from ours.

Alongside the laughter, a wonderful aroma overwhelms me. As much as I can count on love in this home, I can also depend on a delicious home-cooked meal every time I arrive. Today, each of us has brought a dish to share to celebrate the birthday of two dear friends of ours.

The table is overflowing with tasty morsels. A plateful of brightly colored pineapple bars catches my eye, and I help myself. Happily, I taste the first bite and revel in the burst of flavor. My heart is happy and thankful for pineapple cheesecake bars, but mostly for all the people I can call my family who are here to enjoy them with me.